--- The Last Journey ---

[Knusperflakes]

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THE EXECUTOR’S LAST JOURNEY

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Despite all warnings from his advisors and high-ranking officers, Daní Herrera stood firm in his decision. Accompanied only by a small but loyal crew, he boarded his “Regent” on a warm, humid evening in Nueva Barcelona. He travelled light – as always – just few basic necessities for a couple of days: Several freshly washed uniforms, his neural net transmitter, food and water supplies for him and his crew and, of course, the 40-year-old rum bottle “Rincón de Santiago” his father distilled for him when Daní was a young chabó. As the vessel lifted off the ground of Planet Crete, Daní looked back at his home, his city and his people – uncertain whether or not he will ever return…his destination was set: Reincarnation Outpost – Omicron Delta system, arguably the most dangerous place in the entire Sirius Sector for the time being. But this was where he was needed the most. On the base, keeping morale high, organizing the evacuation and encouraging every Corsario to fight until his last breath.

His experiences pilot Josep safely maneuvered the ship through the treacherous Malvada cloud, the Omicron Kappa asteroid fields and the dark, unpredictable Palau Ice Cloud in Omicron Delta. As he glides out of the Ice Cloud, the final – and most dangerous – strip of the journey lay ahead of them. It was only few minutes of travel, but in open space and in the current war situation this endeavor was still like playing with the fire. All electromagnetic transmitters were turned off, radio signals muted, not even the crew onboard dared to say a word. Any patrolling Core ship could have posed an immense threat to the low-gunned travel vessel. Minutes passed and the “Regent” came closer and closer to its designation – Reincarnation Outpost, the most remote stronghold of El Imperio. Finally, after 15 trembling minutes, all communication systems were back online reaching a transmission from the outpost: >>Welcome to Reincarnation Outpost, Executor Herrera. Your arrival is a great honor to all of us. Por favor, proceed to docking bay 5. Your welcoming committee will await you there shortly.<<

It was not that he disliked a glorifying arrival, but the remaining time was short and resources scarce. He would have preferred to see that time and effort spent on more urgent activities than his welcoming. But life is rough in the Deep Omicrons and people need something positive to look forward to that keeps their minds off the harsh reality – the ongoing Core blockade and by now almost daily attacks on the station. The Executor’s presence gave people hope. Hope that not everything is lost yet. Hope that the invasion can be stopped. Hope that the outpost and its inhabitants can be saved.

Daní spent his days onboard Reincarnation Outpost organizing the evacuation, emptying the storage, deciding what goods to keep and which ones to send out to the close by Battleship Delos or Ciutadella Outpost in the neighboring system Omicron Kappa. Relentlessly, he worked to keep spirits high on board. He called for reinforcements from all over the Imperio, from allies … at least those that did not turn their backs on them yet. Even independent contractors and freelancers were contacted to assist with the defense. This was not the time for the well-known Corsair pride, neither to be picky about choosing who will be their brother in arms. Anyone with a gunned ship and at least one arm was welcome to join them in battle.

The days passed and with every night of attacking Core war vessels, the sieged base took more and more damage. The repair crews did their best: running from one leak to another, fixing electric systems on all affected decks, re-establishing life support systems where ever it failed due to the impact of the Core’s siege weapons. But day after day it became more and more evident that all their efforts were not sufficient. For each plugged hole, two more would appear… Only a miracle victory would give them a chance to buy enough time to keep the outpost intact until the sieging Core fleet would eventually run out of food and water supplies … or ammunition.
But the miracle never came. The base was damaged critically. The officials were in agreement that any further attack will end the outposts existence for good. There was only one last thing to do besides the crew evacuation: Condensing all toxic and radioactive waste that accumulated over past weeks and months into one single room, surrounded by any remaining explosive materials left on site, munitions, fuel, MOX, anything that would contribute to an “unpleasant” surprise for the attackers. A single spark would light up the explosive and toxic mixture to annihilate everything within a large radius around the station leaving behind a toxic, radioactive cloud that would leave a mark to the area forever…

The Core prepared for a final attack on the outpost. Everyone else had escaped through the last evacuation vessels heading towards the nearby Battleship Delos. The Palau Ice Cloud would protect them from the Core’s scanners…at least that is what they were hoping for…and they would make it safely to their destination. Executor Daní Herrera was the last and only person left on the station. He told his guards, he just needed to get something from his room before escaping himself … insisting on them leaving right away without waiting for him as they would normally do. But Daní had different intentions… He walked back into his room and grabbed a freshly cleaned glass. With a sigh, he added three ice cubes and finally opened his father’s 40-year-old “Rincón de Santiago” filling his glass half with the long-aged spirit. It’s full, well-rounded aroma will be the last he would experience before it all ends. Today. Right here.

Daní took a quick look out of the window: The Core fleet was approaching for their final assault. The Corsair forces tried their best to counter them, preventing the destruction of the outpost. But they were outnumbered and discouraged. The weeks of siege have taken their toll even on the hardest Cretan. Despite their efforts, the Core fleet continued advancing and it was a matter of minutes for them to open fire on Reincarnation Outpost and give the already cracked structure its final death blow. Daní sat back on a lone chair in the otherwise emptied room and kept sipping from his rum. The noise of firing siege weapons resounded from a close distance and he knew his time has come. But the Executor was unfazed by the chaos he witnessed as he embraced his fate. His last words will be echoing through Sirius forever: >>Long live the Imperio! RAVENNA VULT!<<

The floor opened beneath him as he was gliding out into open space, gasping for air. But the merciless eternity of space was unforgiving and eventually victorious leaving Daní’s lifeless body floating towards its final destination: the blue dwarf hovering Reincarnation Outpost since its existence. The Fortaleza, once thought to be indestructible, has fallen and turned into a wreck surrounded by a toxic, gaseous cloud formed by the explosion. And together with the base, Executor Daní Herrera was lost forever. But the toxic and radioactive gas cloud left behind by the destruction of the outpost will be an everlasting memory to the brave Corsairs fighting until the end. Even in the loss of the station, their victory was in making sure nobody else could ever reclaim their area.